Photo By Stephen Warns | Staff Sgt. Charmaine Clark averaged 16 points per game for the All-Air Force women's...... read more read more
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JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – Staff Sgt. Charmaine Clark, a nondestructive inspections technician with the 116th Maintenance Squadron at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, made a big impression for the All-Air Force Women’s Basketball Team in last year’s Armed Forces Tournament.
Despite tearing her right Achilles’ tendon, she averaged 16 points per game to help Air Force to a third-place finish and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
“She brought a lot to the table, especially underneath the basket,” said Lee McGlown, All-Air Force women’s basketball team coach. “She was a great asset and a pleasure to coach.”
Here’s what Clark says about playing basketball for the Air Force:
Why compete in basketball?
I've played basketball for 22 years and have loved the game from the first bounce. Every aspect of the game is intriguing to me; it’s a passion I really can’t explain. When I step on the basketball court, it’s my place of peace. The game comes natural for me, so it allows me a lot of freedom mentally when playing.
What’s your experience in basketball prior to the Air Force?
I played college basketball at the University of Miami for four years, then professionally overseas for a year in Iceland and semi pro in Miami.
Since competing in basketball for the Air Force, what have you gained from an athletic, military and personal perspective? Through playing for the Air Force, athletically I’ve gained mental strength to fight through the pain and continue to compete. Military wise, I saw the importance of a team through adversity. Personally, Air Force basketball boosted my morale. Also, through my injury, I’ve gained a family-type of atmosphere from the coaching staff to my teammates, whom I continue to stay in touch with today.
What are you bringing back to your duty station by competing in basketball?
I am grateful to represent my squadron and base while playing Air Force basketball. I just hope while doing so, I represented them well and made them proud. My leadership went through hurdles to get me to (Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland) to play in the Armed Forces Tournament. I had been trying to get to tryouts for the Air Force team since I joined the military in 2011. Circumstances up until I joined this unit in June 2015, prevented that from happening. So if nothing else, I hope I brought honor back to my duty station.
How is competing in basketball building your readiness and resiliency with your fellow Wingmen, your duty station and the Air Force as a whole?
Basketball has allowed me to have a fun way to stay physically and mentally mission ready. It gives me and my fellow Airmen the opportunity in a unique way to fight together against adversity in a competitive way. We as teammates know things in the basketball game won’t always go as planned, but together staying focus on the mission of winning, we can overcome and bounce back from anything that’s coming against our goal.
For more information on the Air Force Sports program, visit www.myairforcelife.com/sports
Editor’s note: Athlete in Focus is a monthly series spotlighting U.S. Air Force athletes.
| Date Taken: | 07.05.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 07.19.2017 14:48 |
| Story ID: | 240117 |
| Location: | SAN ANTONIO, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 28 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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